


Let the Game Begin

by MisMiz (Jaaaaack51)



Category: The Magnificent Seven (TV)
Genre: Dialogue Heavy, Dungeons & Dragons, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Friendship, Gen, Gen or Pre-Slash, Magnificent Seven AU: ATF, One Shot, Team Bonding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-10
Updated: 2015-11-10
Packaged: 2018-04-30 22:19:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,823
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5181755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jaaaaack51/pseuds/MisMiz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When game night isn't just a game anymore.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Let the Game Begin

"Why are we doing this again? Surely there must be a reason. An extremely good one, I trust." Ezra Standish eyed the piece of paper, lying on the large circular table in front of him, with extreme disfavor.

"Cause it's the kid here's birthday. Twenty-four years old and he wants to play Dungeons and Dragons old school style." Buck snorted and reached out to cuff JD Dunne lightly on the back of his head.

"And why he couldn’t be satisfied with too much to drink and visions of scantily clad women dancing in his lap remains a mystery." Ezra muttered, trying to peer over Nathan Jackson's shoulder at the sheet of paper which the other man was frowning at thoughtfully.

"Oh no you don't." Nathan clutched the piece of paper to his chest, turning to scowl at the southern agent.

"Come on guys. It'll be fun." JD said coaxingly. He looked hopefully in their sharpshooter's direction. "Don't you think so, Vin?"

Vin looked up and grunted sourly in reply. "That aint exactly what I'd call it, JD." He lowered his head again to peer closely at the sheet of paper which described the character he was to play.

Chris was methodically tearing little strips of paper off of his own character sheet, his face impassive.

"I'm always open to new experiences. Expanding the mind expands the spirit." Josiah reached for a handful of pretzels and stuffed them into his mouth as he spoke.

"Yeah. You keep eating like that and your spirit isn’t going to be the only thing expanding." Nathan remarked pointedly. Josiah just grinned in response.

"What do you say we get started? I can't wait to see what Chris here picked out of the hat." Buck snickered and glanced across the table at the man in question. They had spent the past hour arguing amongst themselves about who got to play what until Chris had finally ordered JD to write down the names and descriptions of seven characters on separate pieces of paper and put them into his Bat Masterson hat. They would each pick one out of the hat and that was who they were to play. End of discussion.  
  
"Twelfth level human fighter. Special skills are intimidation and leadership. Weapons include the broadsword and mace." Chris didn't bother to look at what was left of his paper as he recited his attributes.

"And what pray tell are we to call you? Mighty Thewed Wulfram the Barbaric One? Fearless Leader?"

"Oh come on, Ez. His name is..."

"Chris. The name is Chris. Isn’t that right, JD?" Green eyes bored holes into the young man.

"Uh yeah. That was it. What did you get, Buck?" JD rushed on, eager to avoid any further comment.

"I'm a knight." Buck stated proudly. He stared at JD in confusion as the younger man suddenly doubled up with laughter.

"What's wrong with that?" Buck demanded.

"Nothing." JD gasped. "Just keep reading."

"Ok. But if Chris gets to be called Chris then I want to be called Sir Buck." He lowered his gaze to the paper and began reading aloud. "Tenth level knight. Weapons are the axe and sword. Skills include charm and some slight gift for storytelling. Has renounced women for the period of one year in order to... Hey, wait a cotton picking minute here! No women? I thought you said this game was supposed to be fun, JD!"

"There aint any women here in case you hadn't noticed, Buck. And any of them we meet are gonna be imaginary anyway." JD pointed out in exasperation.

"He's got you there, Brother." Josiah agreed.

"Real aint the point. It's the principle of the thing." Buck replied loftily.

"And you aint got any principles where the fairer sex is concerned." Chris intervened. "What do you have, Ezra?" He glanced towards the rather smug looking southerner.

"Well, if one must play such a juvenile game, at least one can do it in style." Ezra waved his paper with a flourish. "Behold, Ezra the Magnificent, ninth level wizard extraordinaire. Specializing in illusion and battle magics."

"That's too bad you won't live long enough to become tenth level wizard, Ezra. I hear there's some really nice spells on that level." Nathan said solemnly.

"What are you attempting to imply, Mr. Jackson? That my skills are not sufficient to see me to the next level?" Ezra asked huffily.

"I just mean that being such a showy wizard and all, well you'll be attracting a lot of attention your way, and I hear dragons are real fond of wizards."

"Dragons? Surely they will only add to my cachet…" Ezra began.

"Yep." Nathan continued as if Ezra hadn’t spoken, "Roasted. Baked. Fried. They like wizards any way they can get them. But you can rest assured that Ezra the Magnificent and his ignominious end will never be forgotten. Bards will still be singing about it a hundred years hence."

"Perhaps magnificent was overstating the case a bit.” Ezra allowed. Then he narrowed his eyes. “Mr. Jackson, since you seem to have such a grasp of _my_ character, why don't you enlighten us as to the nature of _your_ alter ego?"

Nathan shrugged, still grinning, and began reading obediently from the paper in front of him. "Ninth level healer. Special skills include extensive knowledge of herbs and the ability to throw a knife great distances with remarkable accuracy. Kicked out of the healer’s academy because they found out he was a member of a foreign tribe and is thus forced to sell his services to adventuring parties. Kind and compassionate overall, but can have a prickly sense of pride at inopportune moments."

"Does anyone else think these characters bear an uncanny resemblance to our own?" Josiah raised his eyebrows and looked around the table.

"Don't even joke about that." Vin replied grimly. "I thought you said you took these out of some book, JD?" The sharpshooter accused.

"I did." JD protested vehemently. "I'll show you." He rose halfway to his feet, but Chris waved him back down.

"Never mind, JD. Why don't you just tell us what you got?" he suggested.

"I'm a thief." JD's tone suggested that he wasn't altogether pleased by this. "Sixth level. Ran away from home in order to prove himself. Skills include horsemanship and exceptional dexterity with hands. Weapons are two knives, part of a matched set. By turns irritating and engaging, will grow to be a master thief if he lives that long. Don't you dare say a word, Buck!"

"Damn. What kind of book was that, JD? Does it say anything about who'll win next Saturday's game?" Buck chortled, slapping JD on the back. "Don't fret yourself, son. I find it reassuring, myself, to know that some things don't ever change, no matter what game is being played."

"Shut up, Buck."

"That book of yours is surely something, JD. Although at this point I wouldn't care to speculate on what." Josiah said wryly, shaking his head. "Says here I'm a former cleric. Had a falling out with my God and have undertaken this quest as a form of penance. Skills include cooking and some masonry and carpentry. Weapon is a weighted club." He looked up. "Well, they definitely got the penance part right, anyway." He grinned slyly.

"That leaves just Vin." Everyone turned to look at the sharpshooter who sat hunched down in his chair. One hand tugged nervously at an ear while the other clutched the piece of paper tightly.

"Ya'll know this is just a game, right? That stupid book don't know anything." Vin glowered at his friends.

"Uh huh."

"Sure."

"Whatever you say."

"If it makes you feel any better to think so."

"Right."

"Just tell us what you picked already."

Vin took a deep breath. "Halfelfrangerwithslenderbuildandpointyearsofhismotherand..."

"What?"

"Say that again. Slower this time."

"I heard something about pointy ears."

"Yeah, me too."

"I most definitely heard something to that effect."

"You think that's why he wears his hair so long? To cover them ears?"

Six pairs of eyes regarded Vin thoughtfully.

"Have any of you actually ever _seen_ them?" Buck looked around the table.

"Bucklin." Vin said threateningly.

"He likes to bake cookies, too. Just like them Keebler elves. Or was that Santa’s elves?" Buck continued, leaning back in his chair and stroking his mustache as he pretended to give the matter due consideration.

One by one the others shook their heads.

"He's attuned to nature. A very elvish sort of quality." Ezra contributed.

"And I've seen him put an arrow into the center of its target nine times out of ten. Seems like something an elf could do." Chris said musingly.

"Chris!" Vin turned accusing eyes on the other man, who shrugged and grinned unapologetically.

"I guess there's only one way to find out." Josiah spoke sagely.

"Grab him boys! Let's take a look at those ears!" 

With a whoop and a holler, the six men descended on their hapless victim.

"Damn you! Let me go! This aint funny!" Vin howled in outrage, kicking and struggling for all he was worth.

Moments later, he was abruptly let go. Catching his breath, he rolled over and sat up, glaring at his friends.

"Ya'll satisfied?" He demanded. None of them said anything. Their silence was unnerving and reflexively his hand crept up to his ear. His elegant, slender, pointed ear. Oh God. He had pointy fucking ears. Fuck his fucking life. He would _never_ live this down.

"Vin, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore." Chris said, indicating the surrounding countryside. The completely unfamiliar, definitely not anywhere in Buck and JD's apartment, countryside. Although as strange as the surroundings were, it was nothing in comparison to his friends' altered appearances. Vin had the sudden fervent hope that this place didn't believe in mirrors. He didn't want to know what he looked like. Not one little bit.

"So does that mean we're off to see the wizard?" Josiah raised an eyebrow.

"Unnecessary in this case, I believe. You have one in your party." Ezra held up a book of some sort, pointing to the words on the cover.

" _Booke of Spells and Illusions_ " Vin read aloud. Ok. And he'd thought this couldn't possibly get any worse.

"So, what do we do now? Where should we go?" JD asked.

The other six men exchanged glances.

"Saloon." They said in unison and began walking down the path towards the village they could see in the distance.

"I think they call them taverns here." JD said.

"Just as long as they serve whisky." Buck replied glumly. He was going to need lots and lots of liquid comfort. There just had to be a way around that no women for a year thing.

On the way to the saloon, or whatever JD wanted to call it, Chris found himself eyeing Vin speculatively, hoping for another glimpse of those ears. There had been something about them...

The End

**Author's Note:**

> Loosely inspired by The Magnificent Quest by Nettie Roe. And because I wanted Vin to have pointy ears.  
> As always, thank you for reading.


End file.
